US music producer Phil Spector has been convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his home six years ago. The 68-year-old, famous for the "Wall of Sound" recording technique, faces between 15 years and life in prison.
He had pleaded not guilty to the second degree murder of 40-year-old Ms Clarkson, who was shot in the mouth at Spector's home in Los Angeles.
Spector remained quiet as the verdict was read out. He was remanded in custody until sentencing on 29 May. His young wife Rachelle sobbed as the verdict was announced.
Spector had looked frail as he entered the Los Angeles Superior Court earlier, dressed in a black suit with a bright red tie.
The jury took some 30 hours of deliberation to reach their unanimous guilty verdict. They had the option of returning a verdict of involuntary manslaughter, but chose not do so.
An earlier trial was abandoned in 2007 after a jury failed to reach a unanimous decision.
Posted by: john frum ||
04/13/2009 18:56 ||
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Woody Harrelson defended his clash with a photographer at a New York airport Wednesday night as a case of mistaken identity -- he says he mistook the cameraman for a zombie. Alcohol and/or drugs may have been involved.
"We're looking into this allegation and if it's warranted, we'll turn it over to the proper authorities," said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Ron Marsico.
The photographer, who was not identified, captured the encounter on a small camera after his larger one was broken.
Posted by: Mike ||
04/13/2009 16:28 ||
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#1
Maybe Old Woody has been smoking his hemp shoes/socks....?
#3
Ya think? Speaking of a case of mistaken identity...remember Harrelson dressed as a Tranny (sp?) propositioning Adam Sandler in the cab in the movie "Anger Management"? He was a leeetle too convincing in that role.
#4
In my opinion, Woody Harrelson hasn't had to do any real acting in many of his roles - the retarded bartender on Cheers, the psychopathic killers in Wag the Dog and Natural Born Killers, and so on.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
04/13/2009 19:29 Comments ||
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Legendary pron star Marilyn Chambers, real name Marilyn Ann Briggs, was found dead in her mobile home Sunday in Santa Clarita by her daughter McKenna. The cause of death has not yet been determined. An autopsy is pending.
Marilyn rose to fame after starring in the Z-rated classic Behind The Green Door in 1972. She starred 16 adult films in the 70's and 80's. She got her start as the cover girl on boxes of Ivory Soap detergent boxes.
#1
Her life was not as glorious as some,
Devoted to her children and their children,
Taken up by quiet tedium:
What's left when dreams are scattered to the wind.
She loved too well, perhaps, and fought too hard
To make a marriage work that wasn't right.
She was, of all bright loveliness, a shard
Struck off to bring our lives the gift of light.
There are those whose lives are shaped by love;
Whose pleasures, rich and full, are found in giving;
Who make our wild hearts bloom and passions move
Into measured fields made lush by living.
Without her all the gold's gone from the day;
She will be missed far more than we can say.
Can this really be that hard to figure out? Remember, the same people who run the VA are going to run Bambi Health Care.
Prisoners of war suffer in ways most veterans don't, enduring humiliating forced marches, torture or other trauma that may haunt them long afterward. In partial recompense, the government extends them special benefits, from free parking and tax breaks to priority in medical treatment.
Trouble is, some of the much-admired recipients of these benefits apparently don't deserve them.
#1
This is easy to fix. Just transfer the VA back under the DOD. That's where it belongs, as a separate but equal member with the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. The same group could manage the Retired Reserve roster (since they'd know who had requested disability, and whether or not that disability was approved), and deal with other problems. It would put all VA claimants under the UCMJ, instead of only retired claimants. That alone would help reduce the numbers of frauds.
I'm considered 70% disabled by the VA. Most of my injuries were sustained (or worsened) by just doing my job. I've known several veterans who have exaggerated their injuries (or plain invented them) to get a higher rating. They usually end up being tripped up by their own actions. Most of the disabled vets I hang around with were people like me that just occasionally did more than we were physically able to do. It's easy to spot the ones who were truly injured in combat.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
04/13/2009 17:36 Comments ||
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#2
While I agree that the vast majority are scum impostors, there is a heck of a lot of administrative error as well.
Remember the huge military records warehouse fire in St. Louis in 1973? It wiped out all Army records prior to 1960, and all Air Force records prior to 1964. We actually have far more Civil War military records than we do for World War I and II.
Add to that soldiers and airmen who were captured by the North Vietnamese, but who were quickly rescued or escaped. And ironically, there are even a handful who were POWs twice. That is, escaped and recaptured.
One of the "bravos" of the war was that many of our personnel actually had POW training, based on the Korean War experience, and so were terribly difficult to control. In captivity they continually schemed for escape and communication with the outside.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Afghanistan's top Shiite cleric Saturday defended legislation said to oppress women and accused Western critics of "cultural invasion" and violating the very democracy they are promoting.
Mohammad Asif Mohseni also rejected a ministry of justice review ordered by President Hamid Karzai, saying any changes would violate a constitutional provision for Shiites to have their own legal system.
Karzai last week ordered a review of Shiite Personal Status Law, which he signed in March, after a storm of criticism that argued it imposed Taliban-style harsh restrictions on women.
"This political pressure is a cultural invasion, thinking one's culture better than others," Mohseni told a gathering of more than 200 followers and journalists at the Khatemi Nabien University, which he heads.
Mohseni accused critics -- including the United States, United Nations and Canada -- of not respecting the democracy they were helping Afghanistan install after the 2001 removal of the extremist Taliban regime.
The law was codifed on the basis of "the same democracy that the West is emphasizing" in Afghanistan, he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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Saudi Arabia has banned vehicle number plates which are seen as "offensive" in English when Arabic letters are given in the Latin alphabet, reports say. Saudi newspaper al-Watan said the banned words included "sex" and "ass", but the list was topped by "USA".
Al-Watan said 90,000 existing plates were to be replaced.
Personalised plates are popular with wealthy young Saudis. One plate recently sold at auction for 6m riyals ($1.2m), the newspaper reported.
Newer Saudi plates include three Arabic letters that are also shown in the Latin alphabet.
The growing fashion is for car owners to buy personalised "vanity" plates that deliberately read "nut", "but", "bad", or "bar" in English. The latter presumably has been deemed offensive as it relates to alcohol, which is banned in the Islamic kingdom, the AFP news agency reports.
The first on the list, for unexplained reasons, is the combination "USA".
Posted by: john frum ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Bahrain's king has pardoned 178 people charged with breaching state security, including two Shiite opposition leaders whose arrest sparked violent protests and whose trial has drawn international scrutiny, a government source said Sunday.
A government source, who declined to be named, said those pardoned by King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa late Saturday night included Hassan Mushaima, leader of the mainly Shiite opposition movement Haq, Shiite cleric Mohammed Maqdad and 33 other defendants on trial with them. "You are now obliged to cooperate for the security of this country," Bahrain's news agency quoted Interior Minister Sheikh Rashed bin Abdullah al-Khalifa as telling the prisoners.
More than 1,500 Bahrainis staged protests in February demanding their release and rights groups complained that their trial was flawed. Some defendants have been accused of planning the violent overthrow of the government.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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A clash between supporters of an Awami League (AL) lawmaker and an AL-backed upazila chairman in Sonargaon, Narayanganj, yesterday left at least 20 people, ple, including three policemen, injured.
Traffic movement on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway was disrupted for one hour.
The clash started around 11:30am between the supporters of AL lawmaker of Sonargaon Abdullah Al Kaiser and his uncle Upazila Chairman Mosharraf Hossain over hiring of a microbus two days ago.
Sources said an altercation had erupted between Kaiser's personal secretary Masum Chowdhury and chairman Mosharraf Hossain's supporter Lincoln over hiring of a microbus on Friday.
Masum and his men beat up Lincoln yesterday morning. Mosharraf's supporters and locals chased them into a market. Masum and his men started pelting brickbats at the chairman's adherents and they too retaliated.
Seriously injured Lincoln was sent to Orthopedic Hospital in Dhaka while Sohag, 22, Nilu, 48, Taposh, 28 and Jasim, 30, were given treatment at a local hospital.
Sub-inspector Habib, constables Humayun and Sohel were injured while trying to stop the feuding groups.
Shahin on behalf of Kaiser's supporters and Shahidul Islam on behalf of Mosharraf's followers filed separate cases in this connection.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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None will be able to evict Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence, said BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday urging the government to cancel its decision to revoke the allotment of the house to Khaleda.
"The cantonment house has been leased out to her for 99 years and she has been living there for the last 27 years. You [government] can go to the court and we will face you there," he said addressing a meeting in front of the party's central office.
Jasas, cultural wing of BNP, organised the meeting protesting the government decision to cancel the allotment.
"Find another place to rehabilitate the family members of army officials killed in the BDR carnage. Is there any dearth of land in Dhaka city?" he said.
Delwar said, "Public opinion is against the government decision, so the government should refrain from implementing such narrow-minded plan. Instead of giving threats please try to accept the cooperation of the opposition in running the country."
Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Babul Ahmed, MA Malek, Mosharraf Hossain also spoke at the meeting presided over by Fayezullah Fayez, president of Jasas Dhaka city unit.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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Federal regulators shut down two more banks Friday, raising the number of bank failures so far this year to 23.
The first bank was Cape Fear Bank in Wilmington, N.C., the first North Carolina bank to fail in nearly 16 years. The other bank was New Frontier Bank of Greeley, Colo., the second Colorado bank this year to collapse. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. took over both banks Friday after their respective state regulators closed them down.
The FDIC did not tap a buyer for New Frontier Bank, and instead created the Deposit Insurance National Bank of Greeley. The FDIC named San Francisco-based Bank of the West to manage the entity, which will stay open for about 30 days to give New Frontier Bank's customers time to open accounts at other insured institutions.
New Frontier Bank has $2 billion in assets and $1.5 billion in deposits, $4 million of which potentially exceeded the insurance limits.
The FDIC was able, however, to sell Cape Fear Bank to First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. On Monday, Cape Fear Bank's eight branches will reopen as First Federal branches. First Federal is assuming all of Cape Fear Bank's $403 million in deposits and buying about $468 million of its $492 million in assets. The FDIC will retain the rest of the assets to sell later.
This year's tally of 23 bank failures is nearing the total for all of 2008, when 25 U.S. banks were seized by regulators. Two of the nation's largest savings and loans failed that year: Washington Mutual Inc. and IndyMac Corp.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
The other Colorado bank that was closed was Colorado National Bank. It had a branch about three blocks from my house, and we had an account there at one time. That particular bank has had four owners in the 18 years we've lived in Colorado Springs, so there may have been some institutional problems. Two of its branches were robbed last year.
There are three other banks I've been told are under scrutiny, and may fail this year.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
04/13/2009 17:45 Comments ||
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#2
The basic problem is that the Tea Parties, though the right would *like* to claim them, are not Republican in character. In fact, their impulse is halfway between the Red and Blue States resolutions of the 10th Amendment, and Ron Paul.
That is, both Red and Blue States agree that the US federal government is "out of control", across the board. And while the right or the left particularly care about individual parts that are out of control, they are both starting to agree that the entire government is out of whack as a whole.
So it's not a left or right issue. Instead it is a "The People and the individual States vs. the political parties and the bureaucracy" fight.
The political parties have no constitutional standing, but they rule as a duopoly, excluding the States and the people from the federal government, in favor of their own prerogatives and secret agreements.
The same applies to the bureaucracy. It is far more concerned with feeding itself than executing the law. Congress has given it the power to *make* the law, outside of the normal checks and balances.
Finally the States and the people are realizing that this is an intolerable situation. And if it continues, there is no other real choice than to call a constitutional convention, as dangerous as that is. Because between the political parties and the bureaucracy, the fate of America is at risk.
This is the real message of the Tea Parties, whether or not even the people attending them consciously realize it.
#4
The one thing everyone seems to forget about 'tea parties' is what happened when the original Boston Tea Party failed... look it up... are the Tea Party protestors willing to take that step? Maybe that is why they are mostly ignored by Gov and the Media.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Pakistani gang-rape victim Mukhtar Mai, who rose to tragic fame in the West as the cause celebre of oppressed women, is all smiles since marrying a police constable and defying yet another stigma. Best of luck to the happy couple.
Seven years after her ordeal, she may still be a pariah among illiterate and older women, but her transformation from victim to queen of her own destiny is complete since becoming the second wife of Nasir Abbas Gabol.
Head over heels
Marriage gives you a sense of responsibility. It is a sacred relationship. You also get a sense of security and protection and a woman gets the status of mother," the 39-year-old police officer said. "He says he fell head over heels for me," she gushed of her new husband.
Mai runs three schools -- two for girls and one for boys -- where around 1,000 children from poor families get an education. She heads a staff of 38, half of them teachers, the rest working in her office and welfare centers. They shelter female victims of violence who trek far and wide to seek refuge with Mai, organize seminars to boost awareness of rights, dispense legal aid and operate a mobile unit that reaches out to women in their communities.
Human rights groups say Pakistani women suffer severe discrimination, endure domestic violence, fall victim to "honor" killings, and that growing Islamist fundamentalism leaves them increasingly isolated.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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[Geo News] A young man along with his three accomplices tried to chop off the hands of his parental cousin after she resisted sexual assault. The girl was shifted to the Meo Hospital with wounds where doctors had to cut her left leg to save her life.
Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shabaz Sharif took notice of the incident and ordered the police to submit an immediate report in this connection. Fauzia, 20, told that she was alone at home when her cousin Nadeem Abbas and his three friends broke into the house, and tried to assault her. "They attempted to cut my hands, legs and shoulders with sharp axe on showing resistance," she said.
Fauzia's sister Khalida told that the police had registered an FIR against the accused. SP Investigation Shoaib Khurram said the accused would be arrested soon. On the other hand, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif asked CCPO Lahore Pervaiz Rathore to submit an immediate report into the incident.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Hows 'bout the guy donates a leg to his cousin to replace the one she lost? Might work.
#2
A tip for the guilty party just in case they want to save their Skins. Accuse the poor girl of adultry or some other Un-Islanic acts & they will become heroes of Pakistan! Why it's always women paying such a higher price. Start respecting human dignity please before it's too late. I'm pretty sure this case will be lost in "files" after just few months, with no support or compensation to the poor girl....
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency on Sunday to quell political unrest and vowed to take tough action against protesters after they forced cancellation of an Asia summit. Troops fired into the air when anti-government protesters stormed Thailand's Interior Ministry on Sunday after Abhisit declared the emergency. They mobbed the prime minister's car as he drove away from the ministry, beating it with clubs.
Supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra stormed the venue of an Asian summit in resort of Pattaya, forcing some leaders to flee by helicopter. After declaring victory there, they have been gathering all day in central Bangkok and by 1200 GMT their numbers were estimated at around 40,000.
The cancelled summit has undermined confidence in the government and dealt another blow to the economy, analysts said. Thaksin now lives in self-imposed exile but his absence has not healed the divisions between the royalist, military and business elite, who say he was corrupt, and the poor who benefited from his populist policies.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
04/13/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Big tension between the urban elites of Bangkok who believe they should run the country with a facade of democracy and the non-urban 'common' Thais who actually believe in one man, one vote democracy. Reflects to a certain extent the gulf between the Tea Party types here and the 'urban' elites [MSM, academics, special interests, etc] on their views of who should run this country.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Woody Harrelson defended his clash with a photographer at a New York airport Wednesday night as a case of mistaken identity -- he says he mistook the cameraman for a zombie.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Afghanistan's top Shiite cleric Saturday defended legislation said to oppress women and accused Western critics of "cultural invasion" and violating the very democracy they are promoting.
None will be able to evict Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence, said BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday urging the government to cancel its decision to revoke the allotment of the house to Khaleda.
Federal regulators shut down two more banks Friday, raising the number of bank failures so far this year to 23.
[Al Arabiya Latest] Pakistani gang-rape victim Mukhtar Mai, who rose to tragic fame in the West as the cause celebre of oppressed women, is all smiles since marrying a police constable and defying yet another stigma.
[Geo News] A young man along with his three accomplices tried to chop off the hands of his parental cousin after she resisted sexual assault. The girl was shifted to the Meo Hospital with wounds where doctors had to cut her left leg to save her life. 
